Vail Sucks 2021/20??

Brklynskier

I'm not sure if this will help any of you or if they really care about NE but...

Amid rising customer complaints, The Denver Post wants to hear about your experience at Vail Resorts this season

yardsale

RE: Mt Snow EB5

https://denverpost.com/2022/01/19/vail-resorts-vermont-cease-desists-immigration-eb-5-visa/

tedede

Vail doesn't need their investment after selling 2.1 million passes.

“These investors were told at the time of their investment that their money would not be returned if it would negatively impact their immigration status,” Pieciak said.
^^^^
Don't suppose they got that in writing?

"the state argued, would violate Vermont security laws".
I'm sure Vail has the cash to repay the investors with the promised returns. I suspect it's the green card loss that VT is objecting to, and that's a federal issue.

DrJeff

yardsale;c-53256 wroteRE: Mt Snow EB5

https://denverpost.com/2022/01/19/vail-resorts-vermont-cease-desists-immigration-eb-5-visa/

Honestly I don't see much of an issue with what they're trying to do in paying back the $$, as if one remembers, one of the clauses in the EB-5 program was that for each person who bought into the program for the 500k there had to be something like 100 jobs, or multiple part time jobs adding up to 100 (I think it was 100, but not 100% sure of that number off the top of my head) within the general region that the development was going to happen. And I am not sure if there's a generous enough metric to defne job creation from the EB-5 program at Mount Snow that would satisfy that well defined part of thr rules of the EB-5 investment program.

And given what a debacle the Jay/Burke/Quiros EB-5 program was, trying to proactively close out this one, for not likely fufilling one of it's requirements, doesn't seem like such a big deal, except for that investor

tedede

Vail doesn't need their investment after selling 2.1 million passes.

I suspect VT is more upset about the immigration aspect than the loss of investment.

conrad

I don't think the article does a good job explaining the reasoning behind why Vail is returning the money (with interest???). Are they returning the money so that they don't have to "build the improved base lodge and upgraded snowmaking facility?" I thought some of that was already built. Double whammy not keeping to the multi-year investment agreements as well as deporting the people that invested in their ski area. But no surprise, we've seen over and over again Vail being willing to burn bridges.

DrJeff

conrad;c-53264 wroteI don't think the article does a good job explaining the reasoning behind why Vail is returning the money (with interest???). Are they returning the money so that they don't have to "build the improved base lodge and upgraded snowmaking facility?" I thought some of that was already built. Double whammy not keeping to the multi-year investment agreements as well as deporting the people that invested in their ski area. But no surprise, we've seen over and over again Vail being willing to burn bridges.

That lodge and snowmaking upgrades have been done for a few seasons now.

I believe that they had started a 2nd round of EB-5 fundraising for phase 2 of the Carinthia base area development which was supposed to include new condos and retail space as well as an outdoor ice rink. This return of funds may very well be associated with that never started phase 2, which had its fundraising beginning just as the Jay/Burke/Quiros EB-5 saga was blowing up, shortly before Peaks was acquired by Vail (Peaks was short on Capital then, hence why they took the loan from the Sackler family of Purdue Pharma/Oxycontin infamy) and not too long before we 1st heard of COVID-19

tedede

Had VT not put a hold on all the funds because of the Jay issue, the investors would have been whole before the sale.

NewEnglandSkier13

As of today, Wildcat has still not opened any of Lynx, which is usually open top to bottom in early to mid November and is one of the most popular trails at Wildcat. I would think at this point they should even be able to open it with natural snow.

rickbolger

NewEnglandSkier13;c-53344 wroteAs of today, Wildcat has still not opened any of Lynx, which is usually open top to bottom in early to mid November and is one of the most popular trails at Wildcat. I would think at this point they should even be able to open it with natural snow.

Well I'm not really a fan of Vail, but, if you look at Wildcat's open terrain it's significantly better than last season's Lynx-only situation. clearly they changed it up a bit for this season, and it looks to me to be a lot better in terms of open terrain.

Saturday I saw skiers on tthe Chute, which was rather surprising. the frustrating thing is they make very little effort early on and wait for natural snow. Fortunately they got a bunch. Unclear what the issues are with Lynx at this point

Brklynskier

Still no Hunter West.

lotsoskiing

Brklynskier;c-53347 wroteStill no Hunter West.

That is stunning, but I bet their 'metrics' and other data show that most of their customers prefer flatter terrain (Okemo and Mt. Snow model).

NewEnglandSkier13

Looks like quite the mess at Crotched this weekend. You'll need an Instagram account to view.

https://instagram.com/stories/epicliftlines/2758010854053059470?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&utm_medium=share_sheet

Here's a screenshot. It shows a huge line at the Rocket while Valley and Rover sit idle.

joshua_segal

To answer the question:
Broken or not running them.

The Triple will probably not run this season. The haul rope was spliced late (early Dec.) and the chairs were never installed. That lift is very lightly used and has almost no impact on lift-lines.

The Valley Chair is fine: The mountain doesn't have the staff to run it. It did open the last 2-Sundays using Snowsports Instructors and Patrolmen.

I suspect the GM really cares, as she was out scanning tickets on Sunday. Head of outdoor ops was grouping people on the Rocket. The staff of CM is not trying to screw anyone. We just don't have enough people to work. Want to help? Get paid; get a full refund on your season pass and be a liftie or scanner one day a week.

NewEnglandSkier13

joshua_segal;c-53355 wroteTo answer the question:
Broken or not running them.

The Triple will probably not run this season. The haul rope was spliced late (early Dec.) and the chairs were never installed. That lift is very lightly used and has almost no impact on lift-lines.

The Valley Chair is fine: The mountain doesn't have the staff to run it. It did open the last 2-Sundays using Snowsports Instructors and Patrolmen.

I suspect the GM really cares, as she was out scanning tickets on Sunday. Head of outdoor ops was grouping people on the Rocket. The staff of CM is not trying to screw anyone. We just don't have enough people to work. Want to help? Get paid; get a full refund on your season pass and be a liftie or scanner one day a week.

How many people is Vail requiring to operate a lift? It shouldn't take more than 2 people if they want to get lifts open. If they are requiring having someone specifically to be a ticket checker at each lift in order to open it, it really shows where their priorities are at. At many ski areas, having a dedicated ticket checker is an exception, not the rule, let alone at every lift.

DrJeff

NewEnglandSkier13;c-53362 wrote
joshua_segal;c-53355 wroteTo answer the question:
Broken or not running them.

The Triple will probably not run this season. The haul rope was spliced late (early Dec.) and the chairs were never installed. That lift is very lightly used and has almost no impact on lift-lines.

The Valley Chair is fine: The mountain doesn't have the staff to run it. It did open the last 2-Sundays using Snowsports Instructors and Patrolmen.

I suspect the GM really cares, as she was out scanning tickets on Sunday. Head of outdoor ops was grouping people on the Rocket. The staff of CM is not trying to screw anyone. We just don't have enough people to work. Want to help? Get paid; get a full refund on your season pass and be a liftie or scanner one day a week.
How many people is Vail requiring to operate a lift? It shouldn't take more than 2 people if they want to get lifts open. If they are requiring having someone specifically to be a ticket checker at each lift in order to open it, it really shows where their priorities are at. At many ski areas, having a dedicated ticket checker is an exception, not the rule, let alone at every lift.

Base area lifts, at Mount Snow atleast, they have ticket scanners. Lifts that begin up on the mountain they don't have ticket scanners, but if it's a lift that tends to get crowds, may have someone running the lift queue lines to maintain an orderly flow of the lanes

Kayaker

joshua_segal;c-53355 wroteTo answer the question:
Broken or not running them.

The Triple will probably not run this season. The haul rope was spliced late (early Dec.) and the chairs were never installed. That lift is very lightly used and has almost no impact on lift-lines.

The Valley Chair is fine: The mountain doesn't have the staff to run it. It did open the last 2-Sundays using Snowsports Instructors and Patrolmen.

I suspect the GM really cares, as she was out scanning tickets on Sunday. Head of outdoor ops was grouping people on the Rocket. The staff of CM is not trying to screw anyone. We just don't have enough people to work. Want to help? Get paid; get a full refund on your season pass and be a liftie or scanner one day a week.

There is little doubt that Vail has screwed up in NH this year. There should be no doubt that it's not the fault of the people on the ground.

millerm277

DrJeff;c-53363 wroteBase area lifts, at Mount Snow atleast, they have ticket scanners. Lifts that begin up on the mountain they don't have ticket scanners, but if it's a lift that tends to get crowds, may have someone running the lift queue lines to maintain an orderly flow of the lanes

I'll remind/point out they'd need need significantly less staff at the base if they'd switch to RFID gates like everyone else.

newpylong

NewEnglandSkier13;c-53362 wrote
joshua_segal;c-53355 wroteTo answer the question:
Broken or not running them.

The Triple will probably not run this season. The haul rope was spliced late (early Dec.) and the chairs were never installed. That lift is very lightly used and has almost no impact on lift-lines.

The Valley Chair is fine: The mountain doesn't have the staff to run it. It did open the last 2-Sundays using Snowsports Instructors and Patrolmen.

I suspect the GM really cares, as she was out scanning tickets on Sunday. Head of outdoor ops was grouping people on the Rocket. The staff of CM is not trying to screw anyone. We just don't have enough people to work. Want to help? Get paid; get a full refund on your season pass and be a liftie or scanner one day a week.
How many people is Vail requiring to operate a lift? It shouldn't take more than 2 people if they want to get lifts open. If they are requiring having someone specifically to be a ticket checker at each lift in order to open it, it really shows where their priorities are at. At many ski areas, having a dedicated ticket checker is an exception, not the rule, let alone at every lift.

For aerial lifts, 3 required in NH. Two bottom one top, irregardless of ticket checking. Doesn't always happen though.

NewEnglandSkier13

newpylong;c-53371 wrote
NewEnglandSkier13;c-53362 wrote
joshua_segal;c-53355 wroteTo answer the question:
Broken or not running them.

The Triple will probably not run this season. The haul rope was spliced late (early Dec.) and the chairs were never installed. That lift is very lightly used and has almost no impact on lift-lines.

The Valley Chair is fine: The mountain doesn't have the staff to run it. It did open the last 2-Sundays using Snowsports Instructors and Patrolmen.

I suspect the GM really cares, as she was out scanning tickets on Sunday. Head of outdoor ops was grouping people on the Rocket. The staff of CM is not trying to screw anyone. We just don't have enough people to work. Want to help? Get paid; get a full refund on your season pass and be a liftie or scanner one day a week.
How many people is Vail requiring to operate a lift? It shouldn't take more than 2 people if they want to get lifts open. If they are requiring having someone specifically to be a ticket checker at each lift in order to open it, it really shows where their priorities are at. At many ski areas, having a dedicated ticket checker is an exception, not the rule, let alone at every lift.
For aerial lifts, 3 required in NH. Two bottom one top, irregardless of ticket checking. Doesn't always happen though.

Interesting. I guess that isn't the case in Maine. Does the ticket checker count as one of the three?

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